This Time Tomorrow
by just looking at a light
Summary: Venture tries to be a good father. Rated for language mostly.


a/n: after watching "Everybody Comes To Hank's" I started writing this. It made me think that, maybe Venture is far more the ladies' man than he and everyone else tends to think. I know that in past seasons he made it clear that he only had sex once, but obviously that's because one doesn't go around talking about sex with underage girls. It got me to thinking more about his character and that someone who was once such an icon must have some woman after him if only because of his father's reputation. Looking at any Venture Brothers discussion board will back this up (even woman in the real world want a piece of Thaddeus S. Venture). Okay, so long story short, I wanted to write a story exploring this a little further. It's just a fun little one shot for now. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Venture Brothers.

"This Time Tomorrow"

Chapter one:

It was raining. It always seemed to rain when ever he saw Holly. Venture pulled up to the house to see it was larger than her last residence. She was living in Malice now, which told Venture that she had clearly upgraded from her last husband who went under the name The Mauve Avenger.

Venture parked and proceeded to make his way up the walkway his umbrella in hand. He took a deep breath before he rang the door bell. As the door opened he saw her and she still looked quite the same; black hair down to her shoulders with the ends curled in ever to slightly, the same fancy green robe she always wore when she was working on pieces for her next exhibition and of course a glass of some kind of Cabernet in one hand.

"Still going for the Woody Allen look, I see?"

"Hello, Holly," Venture stepped inside setting his umbrella against the wall to dry out.

Holly turned to him after closing the door, "Once your hair's gone, its gone, Thaddeus. No need to hide that lovely head of yours anyway."

"I'm still holding out."

Holly smiled smugly before she reached into her pocket for a cigarette.

"So," Venture looked around.

"Richard didn't care for the old house, so we decided to move to Malice. Apparently this is where all the super villains are going to be one day. Nice little place isn't it?"

"Nice, yes. Little, not hardly."

Holly lit up her cigarette, "Well, I guess you want to see Astrid now, don't you?"

"Astrid?" asked Venture, "You named her Astrid? What kind of a name is that?"

"A good name," Holly took a drag of her cigarette and blew the smoke in Venture's direction, "a strong name."

Venture waved the cloud of smoke away from his face,"No, its a crap name! All the kids are going to make fun of her now. They'll call her Ass-Turd and Assy!"

"Astrid's going to be home schooled by a dear friend of mine, Professor Alfred Worthington. He's a fine teacher and instructed for many years in universities throughout South Africa."

"Well, whoop-tee-freakin'-do!"

Holly rolled her eyes as she started to walk away. It was Venture's cue to follow her upstairs.

"Sorry for the mess, but we just started moving in. Astrid's things won't be here until later this afternoon so she's been spending the day in the drawing room on the third floor." Holly walked up the last flight of stairs before adding, "I was a bit shocked that you took any interest in her."

"She's my kid, what am I supposed to do? My god, she must be like seven now!"

"You never made an effort to see her until now."

"Because you'd never let me!" Venture reminded her, "I gave you every chance. I offered to help you."

"We never needed help."

"I know, but if she ever needed it."

Holly spun around. She took a drag of her cigarette and glared down at Venture who had only climbed half the stairs at this point, "Why would she need you, Thaddeus?" She laughed slightly, "What could you possibly do for her?"

Venture sighed as he put his hands in his pockets, "I don't know."

"Hmph," Holly turned back around and continued up the steps. She led Venture down the third floor hallway.

"So was it the guilt?" Holly finally asked, " Is that way you feel the need to see her or 'help' her as it were? Are you looking to revisit all of the woman in your life? Make things right with all the little maggots you've produced?"

"You make seem like there's so many of them." If it weren't for the fact that he had found out on his own about Astrid, he would never have come here. If Pete hadn't mentioned anything, he wouldn't have bothered.

"Being Rusty Venture is something you can't change no matter how pathetic you are now."

Venture rolled his eyes at her. She really hadn't changed. He didn't really feel the need to answer her questions either. This was between him and Astrid. No one else.

They had finally arrived to the drawing room. Holly began to open the door, but stopped. She looked to Venture. Her stare informed him that what he had said earlier was still not sitting well with her. She never needed anyone's help and her daughter most certainly didn't need the aid of some washed up creep when she's surrounded by cultured individuals.

"I almost didn't keep her, Thaddeus, just remember that."

"Why because it would have ruined your precious art career?

"No, because it was yours,Thaddeus."

"Is that why Eric left?"

"Well, what do you think? One day you come over here crying your eyes out about how god damn lonely and scared you are and then nine months later a pumpkin headed little shit pops out!"

"Oh god, she has my hair?"

"Unfortunately." Holly opened the door and immediately her mood changed. Smiling widely she greeted her daughter, "Astrid, darling! How are you?"

In front of the fireplace, a little girl wearing what appeared to be a school uniform looked up from where she was sitting on the floor. She didn't say anything. Holly however bent down and gave her a big hug.

"Darling, this is Dr. Thaddeus Venture."

Venture managed an awkward half smile at Astrid who merely looked up at him curiously and tilted her head slightly. She had his eyes too, well, they were more like his father's, but either way, she looked all Venture.

"Astrid, sweetheart...Dr. Venture is... your father."

Astrid didn't seem too phased by this, but nonetheless she was still rather confused by the whole matter.

"Do you understand?" asked Holly.

Astrid nodded slowly still staring up at Venture.

"Well, I'll leave the two of you alone," Said Holly as she made her way to the door, "Just keep it short and simple, Thaddeus. No need to put ideas in her head."

As the door closed behind them, Venture knelt down beside Astrid, "I don't really know what to say," he admitted rubbing the back of his neck, "Just that, well, I'm sorry. I should have made more of an effort to see you sooner, but your mother's a real...uh...right, listen, if you need anything just ask. I mean I doubt there's much I can do now, but later, if things don't work out here..." Venture sighed. He knew it was a lie, but he had to offer her something. Hell, she'd forget soon enough.

Astrid looked back down at the floor. She seemed a bit disappointed by this statement and who could blame her. It was one thing for Venture to remain absent in her life, but it was another thing for him to suddenly appear one day only to leave again.

"Listen, I have two sons, Hank and Dean, their your brothers...or half brothers. Their a little older than you, but maybe we could talk your mother into letting you meet them...once."

Astrid looked up at the fire in the fireplace. Men seemed to come and go too much. They always promised something, but they'd always leave before it happened. Eric left and then Darren and right after that was Marcel. Richard would leave soon too and so would Dr. Venture.

Astrid looked back up at Venture. The sight of her short, sprout like pigtails and her freckled face made his heart sink to the pit of his stomach. He took a deep breath.

"I never knew my mother and..." He wasn't sure how to put it, "I know what your thinking right now. When I was your age, there never seemed to be a constant except for my dad and you probably feel the same way about your mother. I mean, there were always different women. Once I got used to one of them, it was like my dad just traded them in for the newest model. Look, I know its hard. It sucks...a lot! But its not your fault, it never is. They don't leave because of you and I'm not going to leave, okay? I mean, I doubt I'll see you much or at all, but just know that..I.." Venture had never had an easy time with that word, "Look, if your hair starts to reseed prematurely you can hold me fully accountable."

a/n: Okay, that's it for now. I actually really want to continue this, but I'm not sure if its worth it. Anyhoo! Hope you enjoyed it! I don't know about you, but part of me wanted to write this because Venture with a daughter seems kind of adorable :D


End file.
